Grading machine



w. P. THOMAS GRADING MACHINE Filed Juy' 18 1925 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 2o 1926.

, 1,581,247. W. F. THOMAS *y GRADING MACHINE Filed July 18, 1925 2 sheets-snee@ 2' gf. 5.' l.

#frat/fer Patented Apr. 20, 1926.Y

PATENT OFFICE.

WION r. THOMAS,v OF CARLTON, NEW YORK` GRADING MACHINE.

Application filed July 18, 1925. Serial No. 44,592..

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HON P. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the town of Carlton, county" of Grleans, and State of New York', have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading Machi`nes, ofl which the following is a full, clear', and exact description. i

My invention relates generally to grading' nu 1'lines and more particularly to machines ''or grading apples and otherfruit, as well as vegetables such as potatoes andthe like, or any other objects. A.

One of the objects of my inventionhas been to provide a machine which shall be very compact in desigmthns occupying a minimum amount of ii'oor space.

Aanother obfect has been to provide' a' device which shall accuratelyl and efficiently. grade fruit.

Moreover, my device lis so designed that it may be easily and conveniently Operated, and requires such small amount of power that even a child may operate it.

Furthermore, my device is sov designed that the fruit being graded will not be injured, and thev ejector means are so arranged and designed that crushing and mutilating of the fruit can not occur. The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device s'hownin the accompanying drawings, ofwhich:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my complete de` vice.

Fig. 2 is aside, sectional elevation of the same. f

Fig. Sis an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig`.`2. N l

Fig.V i is an enlarged, fragmentary, trans-V verse, sectional elevation taken onjline':

of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, trans-A verse','se'ctional elevationtaken' on line 5;?) of Fig. 3. l

liiydevice comprisesa suitableVv frame 1 whichY is preferably 'mounted on wheels?1 1,` whereby the device may" be' conveniently handled and moved from place'to place.' Arranged at the frontend of the machineis a feedhopper .i2 int-o whichtlie fruitbeing. sortedA is placed'. A fruitelevatorl'is'arg ranged with itslowerl efn'dr at the bottomoffy the? fed -liopper 12 ad'th'fiitiis;

by means of this elevator. The elevator' is provided with a drum l5 at its upper` end which is mounted upon the operating shaft '16 of the device, Vwhich is suitably journaled in the frameworkv 10. The elevator comprises a plurality of slats 17 which are attached preferably` Ato chains 18. These chains are suitably lsupported attheir lower ends (not shown) inthe framework l0. One end O'f the operating lshaft 16 extends outwardly beyond thefrainework l0 and is 'provided with a sprocket wheel' 20. This'v sprocket wheel is connected by means of the chain 2l to a sprocket v22. The sprocket'22 is s'nitably monnted for rotation and provided with a crank 23, whereby itl may be op'-z erated. f

Arrangedy on the Adischarge side of the elevator'is a feed yboard 25', 'which catches the fruit coming from the elevator and directs it toward the grader cylinder 26.y The feed board is provided with a plurality of parallel ridges 27, which', direct the fruit in a number of defined paths and deliver it in properV position with respect to the' grader cylinder.

The grader cylinder 26 is in the form of a drum and is open at both of its ends. It is suit-ablymountedfor rotation upon a plurality of rollers 28. F langes 29 on the rollers serve'r to keep the cylinder from moving f feed fruit onto the outside'of the 'cylinder over the portion having'the series of larger apertures 30,5 and the ridges'27 serve to direct the f r'uity into the rapertures 30. As shoivnin the: drawings,` aV number of apertures AB'Oare' arranged longitudinally in a ro'w, and a'v Slat" 33 istat-ranged longitudinal ofthecylinder'and between each of the rows of apertures. If desired, these slats may be groovjejd on the side whichcontacts with the fri tl' groove? 34' is prefer-ably ar.-

raag'eai in. each tra Siae-' five-eneaict j circumferential rowf offv es, and cords 35' arev extended circumferentiallyl around the' drum landh lie' in tire grooves' 34. This Io 'ckets for the se1-ve"s"'to"foi'-iii channels or fait'. aimeraient; .beeae-radi1w.er tered over 'theaprtares'o 1n the-cylinder.

The size ot the apertures 30 is such that the iirst grade of apples or other articles being graded will not pass through thein but will be conducted by the cylinder around to the opposite side thereof, where they will drop ot the cylinder and be discliarged into a sorting table 36. The sorting table 36 is preferably inclined so that the :trait will be rolled to the lower end thereof so it inay be disposed oit in any suitable inanncr. Arranged on the lside ot the cylinder adjacent the sorting table 36 is an ejector roller 37. r his roller is rotatably inounted upon the inside ot the cylinder and is supported by nieans oi a linger bar 38. The linger bar is supported by ineans ot a longitudinally-arranged supporting bar 89, which extends clear through the cylinder and is suitably supported at each end by ine ot the framework of the machine. The roller 3T and linger bar 3S extend only through a portion ot the cylinder haring the apertures 30, the outer end ot the roller and bar extending beyond the outer end et that por tion ot' the cylinder. The ejector roller 37 is rotated by rneans of a belt ITO, which passes over a pulley ll, carried by the operatu n' shaft 1G. This roller is arranged close to the inside or" the cylinder, and serves to loosen any fruit which has becoinc lodged in any ot the apertures EO. Arranged upon the tinger bar 38 are a plurality et ejector lingers 43, one arranged opposite cach the circumferential rows et' apertures 30. The roller Si' releases'any fruit which has becoine wedged in the apertures 30 by a rolling action, attcr which they are ejected by the fingers 43. Thus, the fruit is dislodged without bruising it in any way.

The apertures 3l in the grading cylinder are soniewhat sinaller than the apertures B() Vand are ot such a size that fruit which just passes through the apertures 30 will not pz through the apertures 3l. These apertures are arranged in longitudinal and circumferential rows in a ina ner similar tothe aperturesBO, and a longitudinally-ei;tending inner slat extends lengthwise between each longitudinal row ot apertures 3l to the point in the cylinder where the apertures fil stop. fr plurality ot cords or bands are extending circuinterentiaily around the cylinder on top of the inner slats and thus serve to register the 'fruit Vith the apertures 3i.

The Jfruit which is ot such a size as to pass through the apertures 30 will be discharge( into a feed chute e8, mounted longitudinally within the cylinder and inclined toward the part ot the cylinder having the apertures 3l. This chute is arranged to discharge its contents into the part ot the cylinder having the apertures 31, and to this end it is provided with a curved outer portion 4:9, which is inclined and curved as shown in Figures and. 5, and preterably provided with a linger 50. The purpose of the inclination and the finger is to serve to distribute the fruit evenly over the portion of the cylinder having the apertures 3l. As the fruit is discharged into this portion ot the cylinder, it will tall in between the cords or bands el@ and between the inner slats i5 and be brought into registering posit-ion with the apertures 3l. All the interior 'fruit which is smaller than the apertures 3l. will inunediately pass through these apertures, after being discharged troni the chute a8, and be caught by a trough 5l. This trough is inclined and the fruit inay be. discharged into a basket or barrel or otherwise disposed et as desired. All the fruit which does not pass through the apertures 3l will be conyducted by ineans of the inner slats ll5 upwardly along the vside ot the cylinder. The slats niay be and are preferably grooved on the surfaces which convey the fruit so that it will be incre firnily retained upon the slat. ranged at a point about opvposite Une center line ot the cylinder is a 'lieed roller 53, which is suitably inountee tor rotation within the cylinder and driven by nieans of a belt 54. The belt passes over a pulley carried by the operating shaft 16. The peripheral speed ot the feed roller 53 is greater than the peripheral speed et the grading cylinder7 so as the fruit is reaching the horizontal center line ot t ie cylinder` and as it is being rolled ofi" ot the slat by reason of the increased inclination o1" the slat, it will be disposed upon the surface et the feed roller 53 and be carried over the upper side et the teed roller and deposited into a discharge chute 5G. The discharge chute is inclined outwardly, and its outer end extends beyond the outer end ol the cylinder, whereby the fruit deposited therein may be conducted to a sorting table or trough 57.

Arranged above the portion o't the cvlinder having the agertures 3l is a plurality ot discharge cogs which have teeth Gil engageable with the apertures Si. 'lhcse cogs are mounted upon a shaft (32 and are rotated by reason of their engagement with the apertures 3l. Each oi the teeth Gi has a 'flattened surface 70 which approaches the grader cylinder 2G in a line tangentfto the outer surface thereof, so that any fruit which becomes wedged in the apertures 3l will be gently forced out therefrom by contact with 'he flattened surfaces 'l0 or" the cogs, Since the fruit is feed to the portion eti-the cvlinder having the apertures 31 from the inside thereof, and since the discharge cogs GO are arranged above the cylinder and outhe outside thereof, there will be no possibility of catching the truit between the cylinder-and the teeth ot the cogs, and thereby inutilating theA saine. The discharged fruit will drop out@ the feed roll 53 or .into the chute 56 lill) andbe conducted by this chute to the-trough or'feed table 5f. The shaft 62, carrying"- liev discharge cogs 60, isrotatably carriedv by a bracket 63 supported by the frameworl'i of the machine and by a braclet 64 supported preferably by the feed board 25.

As hereinbefore stated, the grading cylinder is mounted upon rollers 28, whereby it will be free toA revolve. rIhel cylinder is preferably rotated by means of a beltv 6?, which passes around one endof the cylinder and over a pulley GS'niounted upon the drive shaft 16.

Arranged at the bottom of the cylinder and supported by the chute 48 is a partition 65 which serves to prevent fruit from the portion of the cylinderY having the apertures 8l from rolling into Athe portion of the cylinder having the apertures 30. A splash board 66 is arrangedin the outer end of the cylinder at the end of the portion having` the apertures 3l, and it is supported preferably by means of the discharge chute 5G.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the fruitV will be liftedy from the feed board 25 by means of the slats 33 and all the fruit over a certainl size will be carried around by the cylinder and discharged onto a sorting table 36. All the fruit which is under a certain sizewill pass through the' apertures 30 and drop into the chute 48, and beconducted by thischute on the inside of the cylinder to tlie part of the cylinder having the apertures 3l. The inferior fruit will pass through the apertures 31 andinto the trough 5l. All of the second gra-de fruit will be conducted by ine'ans of the slats 4:5 to the feed roller 58 and be discharged by the said roller into the discharge chute 55. This discharge chute will conduct it to the trough or sorting table 57. v

For convenience of illustration, I have shown the apertures as having straight sides, but the edges which contactfirst with the fruit are preferably chamfered or rounded so as to yform a better seat for the fruit and be less likely to injure the same.

These and other modifications .of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim is:

l. A grading machine comprising a cylinder having a portion of its surface formed with a plurality of apertures of one size and another portion of its surface formed with a plurality of apertures ofa different size,

means for conducting fruit to the portion of he cylinder having the larger apertures7 means for conducting the fruit which passes through the larger apertures tothe portion the slats as they are moving upwarc ly and conducted over the top ofthe feed roller into a chute.

3. A gradingmachine having a gradingcylinde'r, aV feed chute arranged within the cylinder toconduct fruit from one portion of the cylinder to another portionthereof, and a discharge chute arranged above the feed chute forconducting thefruit out of the second mentioned part of the cylinder.

et'. A grading machine comprisinga cylinder having a plurality of apertures formed in one portion ofV its sui'faceand; a plurality of longitudinally-arranged slats disposed between the longitudinal rows ofiapertures, the cylinder beingv formed with a plurality ofrelativelyl small apertures in Aanother portion of its surface, a plurality of slats arranged on the inside of the cylinder and ei;- tending between the longitudinal rows of apertures formed in the last mentionedY portion of the cylinder, and Ymeans for conductingv the `fruit'which passes through the first lmentionedl apertures to the portion of the cylinder having the secondi mentioned aper- 1 tures.

5. A gradingmachine comprising a rotatable grading cylinder .having a plurality of apertures formed in its surface, a cylindrical ejector roller arranged close to the inside eriphery of the cylinder, a finger bar arranged below the ejector roller, and a plurality of ejector fingers carried by the bar, whereby fruit which has become lodged'in the apertures of the cylinder will be ejected. 6. A grading machine having a grading cylinder, a feed chute arranged within the cylinder to conduct fruit from one portion of the cylinder to another portion thereof, a discharge chute arranged above the feed chute for conducting the fruit out of the second part of the cylinder, and a lsplash board arranged at one end of the'cylinder and beneath the discharge chute.

k7. A gradino' machine comprising a rotatable grading cylinder, having a plurality of apertures forined in one portion of its surface, slats arranged between the longitudinal rows of apertures, cords carried by the slats and arranged'between the longitudinal rows of apertures, the cylinder being also provided with a plurality of smaller apertures in anothery portion of its surface, slats arranged on the inside of the cylinder between longitudinal rows of apertures and Cords iso carried by the slats and arranged between the circumferential rows of apertures7 whereby pockets are formed for the fruit.

S. A grading machine comprising a rotat able grading cylinder7 a plurality of apertures formed in one portion of the cylinder, plurality of smaller openings formed in another portion of the cylinder, a feed chute arranged on the inside of the cylinder for conducting the fruit passing through the first series of apertures to the second portion of the cylinder, a discharge chute arranged inside of the cylinder for the fruit which does not pass through the second series of apertures, and a trough arranged outside of the cylinder' for collecting the inferior fruit whica passes throngh the apertures of the second portion of the cylinder.

S). A grading machine having a grading cylinder provided with a plurality of apertures if rnied in its surface, a feed chute arranged within the cylinder to conduct fruit from one portion of the cylinder' to another portion thereof, an ejector roller arranged close to the inside periphery of the first mentioned portion of the cylinder, means for rotating the roller, and a discharge chute arranged above the feed chute for conducting the fruit out of thA second mentioned portion of the cylinder.

l0. A grading machine having a grading cYJ-flinder provided with a plurality of apertures formed in its surface, a feed chute arranged within the cylinder to conduct fruit from one portion of the cylinder to another portion thereof, an ejector roller arranged close to the inside periphery of the first mentioned portion of the cylinder, a finger bar arranged below the ejector roller, a plurality of ejector fingers carried by the bar, and a discharge chute arranged above the feed chute for conducting the fruit out of the second mentioned portion of the cylinder.

ll. A grading machine having a grading cylinder provided with a plurality of apertures formed in its surface, a feed chute arranged within the cylinder to conduct fruit from one portion of the cylinder to another portion thereof, an ejector roller arranged ciose to the inside periphery of the first mentioned portion -of the cylinder, a finger har arranged below the ejector roller, a plurality of ejector lingers carried by the bar, a plurality of discharge cogs arranged on the outside the cylinder for engaging the apertures of the second mentioned portion. of the cylinder, and a discharge chute arranged above the feed chute for conducting the fruit out of the second mentioned portion of the cylinder.

l2. A grading machine comprising a rotatalzie grading cylinder haif'ing a plurality of apertures formed in its surface, means for feeding fruit on the interior of the cylinder. and a plurality of discharge ccas arranged outside and above the cylinderl for engagement with the apertures in the cylinder, each of the discharge cogs having a flattened surface which will assume a position tangent to the grading cylinder when it enters the apertures of the cylinder.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name.

VIGN l). THOMAS. 

